A photo of the Northern Lights posted on Instagram by a Yellowknife photographer has become the inspiration for an eye-catching haircut crafted by a California stylist.Christine Pierce, a stylist at Studio 514 in Oceanside, Calif., says a regular client recently asked for a style resembling the world-famous aurora borealis.While searching on the internet for inspiration, Pierce found a photo that Yellowknife resident Keating Smith took while travelling on the road to Behchoko, N.W.T.

Hair movement mimics dancing lightsPierce coloured and shaped the hair to reflect Smith's shot."It was really exciting for other stylists in the salon because as I was blowdrying the hair you could see the movement in it. It really replicated the picture."Pierce returned the favour and posted a photo of the finished cut on Instagram."I think as artists it's important we recognize each other and if we are inspiring another artist, I just think it's so beautiful and we need to share that," she said.

'Blown away'Smith said he was "blown away" by the finished product."When I initially heard that she was going to use it as inspiration, I'd assumed that she was going to maybe create some sort of digital art or maybe a painting or something I wasn't really too sure."I didn't think I would ever see the aurora borealis put to use in hairstyling."Pierce said she'd never even heard of the Northwest Territories before stumbling upon Smith's photo, but that she's now considering a trip to the territory to see the lights in person."I think the inspiration in person would be really intense and it would be a really moving experience."